Understanding the Menace Called Physical Bullying

Bullying is as old as humanity. Almost all of us may have been bullied at one time or another. Homes, schools and workplaces are always bombarded by various incidents of physical bullying. This behavior has affected the society as a whole that one can no longer find safe places to hide away.

Physical bullying is easy to detect since it is the act of using physical attacks and harms to others.

Some known forms of physical bullying maybe:

Hitting

Kicking

Punching

Shoving

Slapping

Pushing

Tripping

Spitting

Stealing

Damaging the victim’s property

The Making of a Bully

Bullies are not born like bullies, they are made. Physical bullies often resort to victimize others because of underlying problems. They want to use their power to humiliate or harm their helpless victims. Understanding why a person resorted into bullying will give us better understanding why this unacceptable behavior is on the rise today.

Poor Parental Example or Neglect from Parents. Cases all over the world show that the formative years of bullies are marred by outright neglect of parents. Some also show that the parents are leading them poor examples, instilling in their minds that violence should be used to handle problems.

Victims of Bullying. Surprisingly, bullies are more often than not victims of bullying when they were young. Growing up, they see their parents with aggressive behavior and it gets them into thinking that perhaps it is the “norm.”

Lack of Supervision. Especially in a school with large population, kids are not well-supervised. Children may have the feeling that they can do physical bullying without being caught.

Media Influence. We may not be aware of it but the boob-tube is filled with television programs that glorify violence. Kids watching these programs may think that being kind to other is not manly enough. There are also some popular TV comedy shows that often show physical bullying especially to weaker characters.

Peer Pressure. The age-old saying says, “Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are.” This definitely applies to bullying. If your chosen friends always picked on others, it is very accessible for you to join the bandwagon.

Effects of Physical Bullying

There are different effects of Physical Bullying but all are harmful. In worst cases, some kids even commit suicide because they feel that there is no other way that they can stay away from the nightmare. Damaging results of physical bullying may be:

Physical injuries like bruises and cuts.

Belongings, like books and notebooks are damaged.

Children may find reasons after reasons not to attend classes every day.

Being depressed.

Being withdrawn.

Low self-esteem.

Displays of mood swings.

Contemplating on committing suicide

What can We Do to Protect Ourselves?

The recommendations below are primarily for the youths and kids. But the principles can also apply to adults:

Do not give in to range. The more your temper gets out of control, the more you only allow the bully to control you. When you give in to range, you may also do things that you will later regret.

Do not think of revenge. Sure, being a bullying victim is a painful experience. But that is not an excuse to think of revenge. Always bear in mind that when you do so, things will just backfire, often leading to more serious consequences.

Get away quickly when things get heated up. You may already know some bullies in your school or workplace. It is best if you steer clear of them. As some say, “better swift than sorry”.

Speak up for yourself when physical bullying persists. Choose a particular time to talk to the bully. Be calm. As you look him in the eyes, talk to him with a firm voice. Tell him outright that you do not like what he did to you. Do not give in to any of his insults and challenges.

Talk to your parents/teachers about the physical bullying incidents that you encounter. Be open to your parents. They understand your predicament. They will protect you from any challenges in life you face, including physical bullying.

Always remember that you have a value as a person. Sometimes, bullying victims think that it is their fault why they have been victimized by bullies. But in truth, no one deserves to be bullied. You are indeed valued as a person.

Physical bullying may be an obstacle to a person’s emotional growth to reach his full potential. But as long as we find ways to protect ourselves from the different types of bullying, this world may eventually be bullying-free!

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[…] how devastating the effects of bullying could be. It brings not only the scars and wounds from the physical bullying. More than that, it also brings a lasting wounded heart, family disintegration, health problems and […]